Long-running and hugely popular anime series Naruto Shippuden will begin its much-anticipated return to Adult Swim’s Toonami block this weekend. The first episode of the show, titled “Homecoming” is set to air at 12:30 a.m. this Sunday, (January 5) with a new episode slated to air every weekend. “Homecoming” first aired in Japan in February 2007 and the English-language version aired in the U.S. in 2009. The series is based on the second part of the Naruto manga series by Masashi Kishimoto. The series is directed by Hayato Date and produced by Studio Pierrot and TV Tokyo.
In the series, Naruto wants to be the best ninja in the land, and he’s done well so far… But he knows he must train harder than ever before! Naruto Shippuden takes place two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to his village. Everyone’s been promoted up the ninja ranks, except for him!
Created in 1999 by Kishimoto, Naruto quickly became Japan’s most popular ninja manga, and gained an animated counterpart. Fresh new manga chapters are available the same day as Japan through VIZ Media’s Weekly Shonen Jump digital anthology each Monday. Manga volumes are available digitally through the VIZ Manga digital platform, and in print through retailers. DVD sets of the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden series are also available, with the Set 17 release out on January 14. Fans can also access new episodes for DTO and DTR through through iTunes, GooglePlay, Amazon Instant Video, PS3 and Xbox.
